


The Time Tony Wasn't Enough For Steve But He Was Enough For Peter

by laufeyslut



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst, Bucky Barnes - Freeform, Family, Fluff, M/M, Marvel Universe, Peter Parker - Freeform, Steve is a snake, Stony - Freeform, Stucky - Freeform, Superfamily (Marvel), Tony Stark & Peter Parker - Freeform, Tony deserves better, help me, just read the story, marvel AU, peter is an angel, steve rogers - Freeform, stony au, tony stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 23:47:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14296098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laufeyslut/pseuds/laufeyslut
Summary: “I know you still love me.” Tony whispers, voice hushed and fragile. His entire body is shaking, he can’t breathe, he can’t think. This isn’t happening. Steve sighs, and he doesn’t even have the fucking decency to look upset. He just looks… done.“I wish that were true.” Steve admits, head hanging low. Tony takes in a shaky breath, and he can literally feel pain in his chest. Is this what death feels like?





	The Time Tony Wasn't Enough For Steve But He Was Enough For Peter

“I know you still love me.” Tony whispers, voice hushed and fragile. His entire body is shaking, he can’t breathe, he can’t think. _This isn’t happening_. Steve sighs, and he doesn’t even have the fucking decency to look upset. He just looks… done.

“I wish that were true.” Steve admits, head hanging low. Tony takes in a shaky breath, and he can literally feel pain in his chest. Is this what death feels like? He closes his eyes. Millions of memories flick through his head. Tender kisses, fights that end with heartfelt apologies and gentle touches, blissful hours spent in bed long after the morning has ended, sweet, sweet love-making that made Tony’s head spin.

All of that’s gone now. Disappeared with five short words.

“Tony, I’m so sorry. I-”

Tony cuts him off. He can’t listen to this anymore. It hurts. Tony’s chest is painfully tight, and he can’t break down in front of Steve. Can’t give him the satisfaction, “Get out.”

Steve stops. His face fills with disbelief, “ _What_?”

“You heard me. Get out. You don’t fucking love me anymore? Fine. Good for you. But you’re not staying in my house. Get the hell out.” Tony spits, teeth clenched in a flimsy attempt to turn his hurt into anger.

“Tony, you can’t be serious. I- I’m your husband.” Steve’s flailing. He doesn’t have a good reason anymore. But he can’t just give up and leave. Where would he go?

If he didn’t want to leave, he shouldn’t have fucking come in the first place.

“Oh, you’re my husband? Really? And that makes it okay? Get this through your thick head, Rogers. The fact that you’re my husband doesn’t mean shit. You. Don’t. Love. Me. And you’re not staying here. So fucking get out of my home.” Tony’s vision’s blurring at the edges. His body’s numb. He doesn’t even know what he’s saying. All he knows is he needs Steve _gone_.

Steve stutters on his words, sputtering in disbelief. He never thought Tony’d have the courage to do this, “W-what about Peter?”

_Peter_ . God, Tony hopes he doesn’t get home until after Steve’s gone, “What about him? You really think I give a damn about your and Peter’s relationship right now? This- all of this- it’s your fault. He’ll be _lucky_ if he never sees you again. Now get out. I’ll ship your stuff to you when you give me an address.”

Steve hears the finality in Tony’s voice, and he knows he doesn’t have a choice. He doesn’t blame Tony, this is a hard thing. So, with resignation, Steve grabs his keys and walks out of the house.

And Tony allows himself to cry.

And he does. He cries and cries and cries. He screams. He throws things at the walls. He yells at the God he doesn’t believe in. He cries until there’s no more tears and all his body can do is choke and hiccup.

He’s sitting on the couch when Peter gets home. Just staring at the coffee table as he tries not to think about what his life’s become.

“Dad, I’m home!” Comes the kid’s happy, bubbly voice, and Tony feels a pang in his heart. He can’t do this. He can’t tell Peter that Steve’s gone. It’ll ruin his life. God, this is all Tony’s fault. It has to be. It always is.

“In the living room!” Tony calls back, quickly trying to compose himself. The light patter of footsteps echo across the room as Peter enters.

“Whoa, what happened in here?” Peter asks, looking around at the mess in the living room. He walks over to the couch, sitting next to his Dad. He instantly notices the bloodshot eyes, the shaky hands, the slump of his shoulders. Something’s happened. Something bad.

“Dad… what is it?” Peter whispers, almost scared, and he rests a hand on Tony’s forearm. Tony sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face and closing his eyes. Might as well get it over with. Like a bandaid.

“Your Dad’s gone. He- he’s not coming back.” Tony chokes out, trying to keep himself together. He’s got to be here for the kid.

Peter goes pale, his face fills with shock, his grip on Tony’s forearm tightens, “W-what?”

“He’s gone, Pete. I’m so sorry.” Tony can’t look at him. He can’t look at his kid as he ruins his life. How could Tony be so fucking selfish? How could he do this to Peter? Maybe he can get Steve to come back. Him and Tony might be over, but at least Peter would have both his parents.

“What happened?” Tony can hear it in Peter’s voice that he’s trying not to cry. Tony’s never felt so guilty before. What the hell is wrong with him? What did he do?

“He’s… he’s been with somebody else. For awhile now. Says he doesn’t love me anymore.” Tony presses his face into his hands, trembling fingers rubbing his forehead.

Peter’s quiet for awhile. And after a couple minutes, Tony forces himself to look at the kid. He’s pale and shuddering, tears pouring down his cheeks. Tony feels himself break. How could he have done this? To his kid?

“Oh, kid. Jesus, I’m so sorry.” Tony whispers, opening his arms to hold the boy until he feels better. Peter lets out a choked sob, falling into Tony’s arms. So he lets Peter cry, lets him yell, lets him do whatever he needs to get it out. Tony holds him, runs his fingers through his hair, down his back, holds him tight, kissing his face and whispering all the comforting things he can think of.

And finally, after awhile, Peter falls asleep in his Dad’s arms.

He’s fifteen, and he still cries until he falls asleep in Tony’s lap when he’s upset. And as Tony holds him, wiping the tears from his peaceful, sleeping face, he hopes the kid never stops doing it.

Tony sits there for a long time. He holds Peter, listening to his deep breathing, and he wonders what’s going to happen now. What’s he supposed to do when his other half’s gone? What’s he supposed to do without the person that’s been a part of his life for over two decades? How is he supposed to raise this kid without him?

How is he supposed to be alone?

  


***

 

Peter doesn’t wake up until nearly seven, and Tony’s in the kitchen making dinner when he does. He wanders his way into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and trying to adjust to be awake again. Tony looks over when he walks in, smiling when he sees his favorite person in the world.

“Hey,” Tony greets him delicately, “How are you feeling?”

“As good as I can, considering my parents are split up.” He replied glumly, sitting on a stool in front of the kitchen island and resting his chin in his palm. Tony sighed, sadness filling his chest.

“I’m so sorry, kid. Is there anything I can do?” Tony asks, stirring the food. He hopes he’s doing this right. Steve was always the cook. The last time Tony tried to cook he nearly burned the house down, and before that he _did_ burn the house down. Well, part of it.

“Just… don’t go back to him,” Peter states. Tony blinks, looking up at his son. That’s _not_ what he expected at all, “I know you love him, and I love him, and you want him back for me because you feel bad. But- please, Dad. If he really cheated on you, don’t take him back. You deserve better than that.”

Jesus, this kid’s only fifteen and he’s already wiser than Tony. He’s in way over his head with this one. “You sure, Pete? This isn’t going to be easy.” Tony admits.

“I know that. But I believe in you. I believe in us. We can… we can be a family. As painful as it is, we can do it.” Peter says triumphantly, and Tony feels a proud smile grow on his face. The kid shouldn’t have to be going through this, but he’s taking it like a champ, and Tony just wants to sprinkle him in everything good because _if he can raise a kid this great he can do anything_.

“You’re smarter than you look.” Tony teases, dishing the food up. Peter lets out a light laugh, some of that brightness coming back to his face.

“Right back at you.” Peter retorts, taking the plate from Tony. They sit down and eat and chat about what Peter did at school, what he wants to do for a project, how Tony can help.

And for a minute, they’re happy. They’re content and fulfilled with the two of them.

_Maybe,_ Tony allows himself to think, _Just maybe, we can make this work_.


End file.
